For four seasons, LB Jarvis Jones roamed NFL fields with the kind of explosive energy that simply could not be ignored. The former Georgia Bulldog was drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013 and became one of the best UGA linebackers the NFL had seen.
But early into his NFL career, Jones was hit by a carousel of injuries. Soon after, Jones quietly stepped away from the game in 2017. The pads came off, but the passion never left. Now, Jones has decided to conquer a different arena, and that too, one that feels just like home.
Former Georgia LB Jarvis Jones Returns to Alma Mater To Lead Team
The two-time All-American is heading back to where it all started. This weekend, it was confirmed that the former Bulldog is returning to his alma mater, Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia. This time, he’s calling the shots as the school’s new head coach.
Former Georgia All-American LB Jarvis Jones has been hired as the head coach at Carver (Ga.) High, his alma mater.
(per @scoreatlanta)
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— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 25, 2025
It is truly a full-circle moment for Jones, who once ruled the field as a blue-chip recruit under coach Dell McGee. In the late 2000s, Jones was the guy at Carver. He stacked up tackles, earning a ticket to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Game.
With Jones lining up on defense, Carver won its first state title in 2007. He graduated as one of the most sought-after high school athletes in the country. But this decision to return has nothing to do with nostalgia.
Carver’s former head coach, Pierre Coffey, just stepped away for a new role in Stewart County. His departure leaves a big hole in Carver’s football. Coffey, after all, led the school to a 14-1 record last season. And he capped it with a 52-14 win in the Class 2A state championship.
Coffey ended his three-year run with a 33-8 record. So, no doubt, these shoes are not easy to fill. The decision to hire Jarvis Jones comes from just that. But then again, why coaching and why now?
After retiring from the NFL, Jones didn’t vanish from the game. Instead, he spent five seasons as an assistant outside linebacker coach with the Georgia Bulldogs, helping shape the next wave of defensive talent. But as many would agree, there is something different about home.
Now, he wants to help write the next chapter for a new generation of Tigers. Jones knows what greatness looks like. He’s lived it. From being the SEC Defensive Player of the Year to finishing 10th in Heisman voting, he knows what it takes to make it big. And he is bringing the same to his alma mater.
However, what makes this comeback story a whole lot sweeter is another personal connection. Jarvis Jones grew up in the nearby towns of Lumpkin and Richland before rising to fame at Carver. Now he’s walking those same hallways again.
Jarvis Jones walks with the mission of building a program that screams elite. And maybe, just maybe, also win a few more championship rings along the way.
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